God! I don’t know the way this yr has flown so rapidly. I used to do bi-monthly or month-to-month updates, however this yr has been so fast-paced that I haven’t saved up.
I spent the primary few months of 2024 in a depressive funk after my dad handed away final December. I did the naked minimal and spent all my time in a daze. Thankfully, or sadly, life was so hectic that I needed to pull myself out of my funk and give attention to my children. Snubnose went via a milestone yr, finishing Grade XII with honors! She received 100% in one among her topics (essentially the most tough) and excessive 90s in the remaining. I’m so pleased with her.
Then it got here time for school entrance exams—most of which she aced. Sadly, she didn’t ace the doorway check for the one faculty she needed to get into. But it surely’s okay. She received into her second-choice faculty, which was most likely your best option for her.
She will likely be shifting out of the house subsequent week, although. I will likely be touring together with her to settle her into faculty and her hostel and ensure she’s all set for what’s prone to be an thrilling and tumultuous expertise.
She additionally turned 18 this February, and we had been all busy getting her her checking account, UPI, and so on – all grownup issues she is going to want when she leaves residence.
Piglet has been moping round the home a bit this summer season. What with the water scarcity (inflicting the swimming pool to shut), his greatest good friend off to Abu Dhabi for the summer season, and all our consideration on Snubnose, he’s been feeling a bit neglected.
Nonetheless, as quickly as her faculty admissions had been sorted, we targeted on spending time as a household—taking part in board video games (Codenames and Sequence are new favorites) late into the evening, having many film nights, and usually chilling out.
One advantage of him feeling a bit neglected is that he become a reader—one thing I had virtually given up on. He’s been studying all his sister’s outdated Roald Dahl and Geronimo Stilton books and is now moving into Tintin. We lately went to Blossoms Ebook Home – our favourite new and pre-loved ebook retailer and up to date our ebook assortment. We offered off his outdated Magic Tree Home ebook set that he misplaced curiosity in after just some books) and a few of Snubnose’s tacky romances and, in flip, received all this. I really like that we are able to unload outdated books we now not want and use the money again on different books – a boon, particularly for youngsters who outgrow childhood favorites so quick.
Aside from books, Piglet has additionally elevated his give attention to karate this yr. He joined a category final fall, however he’s change into proficient within the final 3-4 months, attending and successful competitions. In contrast to his different sports activities (horse using, which scared him an excessive amount of after a degree, and swimming, which he hasn’t been capable of do within the final couple of years as a consequence of Covid and water shortages), it looks like karate will stick 🤞. He’s now earnestly getting ready for his inexperienced belt examination, indicating he’s now prepared for the intermediate ranges.
Piglet additionally received super-independent and severe about his research this yr. I’m a little bit shocked and unhappy to be shedding my child Piglet, but additionally impressed and curious to see how he’s altering – navigating from being a child to a tween.
I’ve additionally been tremendous busy this yr. I had a number of travels – one for testing potential faculties for Snubnose, one other for spending time with my mother in Chennai, and one other for a implausible work journey to the USA. My colleague and I traveled to our head places of work in San Francisco and San Jose. Work was the point of interest, however we additionally loved an exquisite weekend in Yosemite, some sightseeing in San Francisco (most of them locations I had visited earlier than), however nonetheless enjoyable. A spotlight was whale watching, which I had by no means carried out earlier than.
One bummer was not attending to see the Northern Lights that was ongoing at the moment 😔. It gave the impression to be dodging us nevertheless a lot we tried to catch a glimpse of them.
Then a brief journey to Goa (Piglet’s first time there), after which a visit to drop off Snubnose in faculty. I like to journey, but it surely’s been a bit an excessive amount of this yr!
To recoup from all this journey, I’ve been doing a number of Netflix – watched Crew (enjoyable! enjoyable! enjoyable!), completed binge-watching the third season of Bridgerton (received Snubnose obsessive about it as effectively), and Monk – severely in love with Tony Shalhoub, and can most likely watch every little thing he stars in.
Sadly, my mind hasn’t been capable of get into books this yr. I spent a couple of months fairly numb after Dad’s dying and have simply not been capable of focus onerous on something bookish. I haven’t been forcing it, both. I do know I’ll finally get again my studying mojo.
So, that’s been our first six months of 2024—action-packed and enjoyable on the skin however fairly depressed and torpid on the within. So many good issues occurred, however I want Dad was round for it. He would have been so impressed with Snubnose’s tutorial efficiency, and as an avid reader himself, he would have beloved seeing Piglet get into his books.
How has 2024 handled you up to now?
